Romancing the Standards

You are committed to this relationship.  After all, most of you have been in it for your entire adult life.  In the beginning, it was new and exciting, and you were hyper-focused on every little detail.  But as time went on, life became hectic.  There were kids to help, meetings to attend, and a million other things that pulled at you. So, you told yourself it was okay, that your curriculum would understand.

Wait, what?  At a recent planning meeting, I suggested that we need to date our content standards, or maybe even take them on a weekend couples retreat.  Not because we don't care anymore, but because we've both changed over time.  We think we know each other, but like a human partner, we often  put them last because we know they will always be there. And, all of the other things we put first are really important, too.

My idea might seem too far out there, but bear with me.  Much like a couples therapist recommends intentional "us" time, reconnecting with our content standards is in the best interest of great teaching and learning for kids.  After all, the standards are the bedrock for everything we do in the classroom.  We identify them for each unit, we decide how we want to want to assess proficiency in them, they are the basis for our learning goals, and we develop instruction around them. They really do deserve more intentional attention from us.  And, as a district, we are moving into Domain 2 of Dr. Marzano's Instructional Framework this coming year.  Domain 2 focuses on planning and preparation, with one of the elements being "appropriate attention to established content standards."  It's a match made in heaven.

So, with all of the other demands on our time, how do we find and commit to intentional "us" time with our content standards?  First, try the couples retreat idea -- get a group of teachers together and work as a team.  Learn with and from each other in a more efficient use of time.  Second, invite an instructional coach along.  Not that we are therapists, but we can help plan the most effective use of time and resources, and we have experiences with others you may find useful.  Third, plan your time with the "date night" mentality.  Hold the time sacred and do not let anything else interfere with it.  Fourth, if you're really pressed for time, just flirt with the content standards for ten minutes every day.  It shows them you still care.